On August 31st, I completed a full year of doing the Move U exercises at least 15 minutes a day, every single day.
I started the Move U program in November of 2023, on Black Friday because that’s when they have the really good sale for the annual membership. And when I started, I was just moving through the programs. I wanted to get through all of them, and to keep up a streak. I started with a 90 day streak, and then 180, and I was certain that I’d be able to make that full year.
Bu then Ambrose had his stroke.
While I kept vigil in the hospital, I continued to do the Move U exercises each day. In a way, they helped keep me grounded. I didn’t continue the program I had been doing, which was Shoulders & Arms level 2. I went back to the basics. Spinal oscillations and breathing, and other simple exercises I could do in a hospital room.
After he died and I went home, I still kept up with the exercises. I went camping and kept up. But then I got home and I lost track of time. I lost track of myself. I had what I was later told was a mild psychotic break, but that was only after I’d come back to myself to find that I had been committed. After having been arrested.
That’s when I lost that first streak. When my mind was shielding me and taking me elsewhere. I didn’t have my glasses at first, so I had no way of timing my exercises. I did so some spinal oscillations while I was there, but I know I wasn’t doing the full time so I didn’t count that towards a new streak. I didn’t start my new streak until several days after I was released.
And after I was released, I went to Chicago to spend time with family. There, I kept up the streak, but I kept it simple. I didn’t have my equipment, so I had to stick with movements that didn’t need any equipment. Most days, I just did those spinal oscillations with the breath. Trying to take them as slow as I possibly could.
When I returned home in October, I had my equipment. But I didn’t have the motivation to do more than I was doing. I needed to keep things simple, and I did. I didn’t start another program for months, but I kept up my daily practice. Even if I didn’t get anything else accomplished in a day, I’d get that done. I’d keep that streak alive and well. A way to hold on to the passing time. To count something other than the days since he died.
I took my time in restarting the programs. I couldn’t bring myself to go back to Shoulders & Arms level 2 right away. I had to do something else first. I did the other level 2 programs before circling back to that one. But I did get it done.
I’m about to start Back & Core level 3. I want to continue this practice that has helped me not only get in touch with my body, but also to steady my soul and calm my mind. Going through exercise sets, I can push through the pain and the loneliness to accomplish a goal. And when I’ve finished working my body, my mind has often calmed down.
I have no plans to stop my streak. This is a milestone, and a big one, but it’s not the goal in and of itself. The goal is to keep my body ready for life so I can keep living it. I want my left shoulder to stop hurting. I want to get back my pull ups. To perfect my push ups. To finally do a body weight dip without assistance. I want many things out of this, and the only way to get there is to keep going. I am the only one who can fix me, and I love myself too much not to do it.